A switch unit which is known as the above-mentioned operation unit includes a plurality of lever switches removably attached to a steering column as a body of a vehicle for carrying out operation of a winker and a wiper (refer to Patent Literatures 1-4). By attaching the lever switches in a removable fashion, the lever switch can be replaced easily when the lever switch has broken down.
In recent years, in order to reduce the number of wire harness components in the vehicle, the above-mentioned switch unit has a structure such that the plurality of lever switches is electrically connected to each other, so that a control signal of each lever switch is outputted, in a multiple fashion for example, from an output connector provided at only one lever switch of the plurality of lever switches.
Examples of such switch unit are shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 (see Patent Literatures 5-7). As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, a switch unit 1 includes a wiper switch 3 and a light switch 4 as lever switches for carrying out wiper operation and winker operation, and a steering column 2 which rotatably supports a vehicle steering to which the wiper switch 3 and the winker switch 4 are attached.
The above-described wiper switch 3 and the light switch 4 include base portions 8 for positioning the steering column 2 between each other, lever portions 7 projecting from the base portions 8 in directions away from each other, and connectors 10 projecting from the base portions 8 in directions toward each other. The light switch 4 is provided with an output connector 11 for outputting an operation signal when the operation is carried out. The wiper switch 3 is not provided with the output connector 11.
The steering column 2 is embedded with a pair of connectors 21 for connection with the above-mentioned connectors 10, and an intermediate harness 22 for connection between the pair of connectors 21.
However, according to the switch unit 1 described above, there is a need for embedding the pair of connectors 21 and the intermediate harness 22 and such in the steering column, causing an increase in size of the steering column 2. Furthermore, there is a problem concerning the cost, since the connector 21 and the intermediate harness 22 and such embedded in the steering column 2 are required with good quality.